


some part of you too small to lose

by likewinning



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Retail, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-14
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-08-14 22:58:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8032303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likewinning/pseuds/likewinning
Summary: "You are the perfect little wife, aren't you?"





	some part of you too small to lose

Harvey figures Bruce should be home by now. It's late, after 6PM, but when Harvey rings the bell, it's not Bruce that answers the door, or even Alfred. It's a kid, blue hair and piercings and skinny jeans, barefoot and holding a whisk in one hand like a weapon.

"Uh," Harvey says. "Is Bruce around?"

"He's at work," the kid says. There's something white and powdery on his chin, maybe flour or powdered sugar. "Who are you?"

"I'm," Harvey says. _His ex_ sounds so stupid, and anyway it's not entirely the truth. "I'm an old friend of his. I… guess I should've called. And you're..."

"Jason," the kid says. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and starts texting something, then looks back up at him. "I'm his boyfriend."

"Oh," Harvey says. Hysterical laughter bubbles up in him and he thinks about just turning around, getting back in his car like nothing happened, but Jason says, "Bruce says you're the real deal. Come on in."

The house is even bigger than he remembers, and it actually looks _lived in_ \- shoes by the door, books on the table by the staircase, artwork that looks like it was done later than the 1800's. Jason takes him into the kitchen and tells him to have a seat.

"I'm just finishing up some treats for the kid's bakesale," Jason says. "Then I'll start on dinner if you want to stay."

"The kid -" Harvey starts, then remembers. "Oh, right," Harvey says. "Damian, right?"

"Uh-huh," Jason says. He gets back to mixing up some kind of icing. "Little terror's around here somewhere."

Harvey laughs. "He can't be much younger than you are," he says.

Jason doesn't answer. He frosts a couple of brownies, then asks, "So how do you know Bruce?"

It doesn't hurt that Bruce hasn't told this kid about him. It's not - it doesn't matter. "We were in a band," Harvey says.

"Oh," Jason says.

"Does he still play?" Harvey asks, and for some reason that makes Jason blush.

"Sometimes," he says. He sets the decorated brownies in the refrigerator, then starts pulling out ingredients for whatever he's making for dinner. Harvey leans back in his chair. He can't fucking believe Bruce is _dating_ this kid. Is that even the word for it? Jason looks like someone's babysitter, blue hair and all.

"So," Harvey starts. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you two meet?"

Jason flinches, then carries on chopping vegetables. "Through work," Jason say.

"You work with him?" Harvey asks. He doesn't mean to sound _so_ skeptical.

"No," Jason says. "Not exactly."

"So how -"

"Harvey, stop _interrogating_ him."

Harvey turns in his chair and there's Bruce, suit jacket slung over his shoulder, tie loosened, sweating just a little from the evening heat. Bruce grins at him, boyish and glowing, and Harvey gets up to meet him, pulls Bruce into a hug. He smells like sweat and ink and cologne, and over Bruce's shoulder he sees Jason watching them, waiting.

"How have you been?" Bruce asks.

"I've been good, man," Harvey says. " _You_ seem like you're doing just fine."

Bruce laughs, lets him go and turns to Jason. "Thank you for keeping him entertained, Jay."

"Sure," Jason says.

"I've known Harvey a long time," Bruce says. "Since I was younger than you are."

"And I meant to ask -" Harvey says, but Bruce coughs, and Jason turns away from both of them so he can sautee the vegetables. Bruce grabs them two beers from the refrigerator and leads him out of the kitchen and out onto the patio. The sun's just beginning to set, and it's turning into a beautiful night.

As soon as they're outside, the laughter that Harvey's been holding in comes bursting to the surface. Bruce stares at him, bewildered. "Something you feel like sharing, Harv?"

"I just," Harvey says. "You can't be serious with that _teenager_ in there, can you?"

Bruce scowls. "He's not a teenager."

"Well thank god for that," Harvey says. He waves a hand. "But I mean… where did you pick this twink up?"

"He's not a twink, Harvey," Bruce says. He twists his beer bottle open. "He's smart, and caring, and very mature for his age."

"Oh, yeah, the blue hair is real mature."

Bruce smirks around his beer bottle, then says, "He's part of the PTA at Damian's school, you know."

Harvey chokes. "Get the fuck out."

"Mm," Bruce says. "What are you doing here, Harv? You haven't even called in almost a year."

Harvey winces. "Yeah, sorry about that," he says. "I've just been… things have been kind of…" He laughs, takes a pull on his beer. "We never should've broken up the band, man."

" _You're_ the one who broke up the band," Bruce says.

"Yeah, well, you're the one who broke my nose for doing it," Harvey says.

"I did you a favor," Bruce says.

"What, for the nose?" Harvey asks.

"Mm," Bruce says. "Your nose was too straight before. The little bump adds character."

Harvey snorts. "Fuck off."

 

*

 

For dinner, Jason makes some kind of dish with steak and vegetables that's a thousand times better than the freeze-dried crap Harvey's been eating for the last decade. Bruce's kid - Damian - sits at one end of the table with just a plate of veggies and what looks like tofu. The last time Harvey saw him, he could barely handle a knife and fork, but now he's talking non-stop to Bruce about the _injustice_ of his science class.

"We shouldn't be dissecting something without the animal's permission," Damian says. "How would _you_ feel, Father?"

"Terrible," Bruce says around a mouthful of steak. Jason shakes his head at him.

"What are you dissecting?" Harvey asks. Damian looks at him, stares right through him like he isn't really there. Then he looks at Jason. "Did you finish my brownies?"

"Yeah, kiddo," Jason says. "They're in the fridge, if your dad doesn't eat all of them again."

" _One_ time," Bruce says.

"Uh-huh," Jason says. "No more funny cigarettes for you."

"Tt," Damian says. "You can just _say_ marijuana. I know that's what it was."

Harvey chokes on a piece of broccoli. "So," Jason says. "Are you just here for a visit, or are you staying the night?"

"I'm," Harvey says. He _brought_ a suitcase, but that was before he knew the situation. Which he''s still not sure of. He looks to Bruce for help, but Bruce just looks right back, questioning. It's not supposed to be like this with them. They're supposed to just _know_.

"I'm sure Alfred could check on one of the guest bedrooms," Bruce says.

" _Not_ the one across from my room," Damian says.

"Damian," Bruce scolds. Jason ducks his head, laughing.

"What?" Damian asks. "What if he _snores_?"

"He does snore," Bruce says fondly, and Jason looks at Harvey.

"So do _you_ ," Harvey shoots back. They both laugh, and Jason clears his throat, starts gathering their empty plates to take to the kitchen. Damian follows him, leaving them alone again.

"So come on," Harvey says. He reaches for his beer, the second of the night. "Where _did_ you find him? Dancing at some club you're way too old for? Standing with his hip cocked out on Park Row?"

"Harvey," Bruce warns. When Harvey doesn't say anything, Bruce sighs and says, "We met at the mall. He works at the Hot Topic there. He caught Damian shoplifting."

Harvey bursts out laughing. Bruce smiles, but it's not the kind that meets his eyes. "Jesus," Harvey says. "I can't believe it."

"What can't you believe, Harv?" Bruce says. "That I'm happy?"

"No," Harvey says. "That you're dating some - some -"

Jason comes back into the dining room at about that moment. He's holding a dish towel and his face is flushed.

"Jay," Bruce says.

"I just," Jason says. "Was coming to see if anyone wanted coffee or. Dessert."

"Huh," Harvey says. "You _are_ the perfect little wife, aren't you?"

" _Harvey_ ," Bruce says. He looks livid. Jason's hands clench into fists, and Bruce pushes his chair back, stands up to reach for him.

"No," Jason says. "That's fine."

"It's not," Bruce says. "That was out of line. Harvey," Bruce says, in the same tone as when Harvey and Mera would get into fights over setlists, over whether to spring for a hotel one night or stay on the bus.

"Yeah," Harvey says. "Sorry, kid. And coffee sounds great."

Jason nods and leaves the room again. Bruce takes the chair next to Harvey, moves to sit close to him. "Harvey," he says. "What are you doing?"

Harvey brings his hand up to his head, tugs at his hair. He started going grey last year, and sometimes when he looks in the mirror all he sees is his father. "I just needed to see you, man," Harvey says. "I - I missed you."

"I miss you, too, Harvey," Bruce says. "But this. Things have changed, Harvey."

"Yeah," Harvey says. "You've _domesticated._ "

"You make it sound like something terrible," Bruce says. "I'm still me, Harv."

Harvey doesn't say anything. Jason comes back with the coffee, and before he can walk away Bruce wraps his arm around his waist and pulls him into his lap. "Bruce," Jason says. "It's still a mess in there."

"That's all right," Bruce murmurs. He kisses Jason's cheek. "I'll help clean up later. Sit with us. Harvey doesn't know anything about you."

"I don't think he _wants_ to," Jason says. He looks at Harvey with something hard in his eyes, and Harvey looks back for as long as he can before he blinks, messes with his coffee cup and says, "That's not true. Look, I'm - did you grow up here, Jason?"

"In Gotham, yeah," Jason says. He tips his chin up. "Born and raised in Crime Alley 'til I lost my folks."

"Shit," Harvey says. He grins before he can help it. "Bruce, you're just a _magnet_ for us street urchins, aren't you?"

"Nah," Jason says. Bruce puts his hand on Jason's thigh, and Jason pats him. "He's just read Dickens too many times."

"Jesus," Harvey says. He snorts. "He used to have this copy of _David Copperfield_ he dragged out at least once a year. Thing looked like a _dog_ took a bite out of it, but -"

"First edition," Jason finishes for him, then laughs. "It's sitting on the nightstand upstairs."

“It's in vain to recall the past," Bruce says, resting his chin on Jason's shoulder, "Unless it works some influence upon the present.”

"Sure," Harvey says. "You remember that, but not my phone number. I see how it is." Bruce flips him off. "Anyway," Harvey says. "Sorry about your parents, Jason."

"Thanks," Jason says. He shrugs. "I got lucky. Met my best friend in the foster home. Met the rest of my friends because of him, too."

Bruce squeezes Jason, kisses his neck. Harvey's never seen Bruce be so affectionate with someone else in front of other people like this, at least not without a significant amount of alcohol in him. "Harvey and I met in _boarding_ school."

"Fuckin' spoiled brat," Jason says. Bruce laughs.

"Talia keeps talking about sending Damian to one," Bruce tells Harvey. Jason tenses up noticeably.

"She can fuckin' _try_ ," Jason says. His nails dig into his palm, and Bruce brings a hand up to stroke his hair.

"Still pulling the same shit, huh?" Harvey asks. He still remembers Bruce calling him in a panic one morning before Harvey had even gone to _bed_ , telling him he'd gotten beyond messed up and slept with Talia - and then the call a few months after _that_.

"She's the devil," Jason says. "Sorry, Bruce."

"That's all right," Bruce says.

"All right," Jason says. He tips his head back, kisses Bruce's stubbly cheek, then gets to his feet. "I really do need to clean up now."

"I'll come help you in a minute," Bruce says. He watches Jason go, then looks back at Harvey. "Thank you," he says.

"For what?" Harvey asks.

"I'm sure this isn't easy," Bruce says. "It wouldn't be for me."

"What?" Harvey asks. "To see you with someone else? Or someone who could be -"

"But he's not," Bruce says. "He's the person I'm in love with, Harvey."

"Yeah," Harvey says. The words gouge right into his chest, no matter how gently Bruce says them. "Yeah."

Bruce drains the rest of his coffee, then stands up. "I'm going to go help. Feel free to explore, if you'd like."

"Sure," Harvey says. He walks away from the kitchen, the sound of running water, the sound of Bruce and Jason talking and laughing. He heads up the stairs and pokes his head in the library for a minute, then keeps going. He hurries past the master bedroom, not wanting to think about the last time he was here, how Bruce kept telling him _stay_.

He keeps going until he finds the room he knows best of all, even though it's been years. Bruce's drumkit sits in the center of the room, looking worn but cared for. And Harvey's acoustic guitar, the one he nearly smashed over someone's head in Houston, hangs off to the side. He picks it up, sits down on the floor and begins to pluck out a few chords.

 

*

 

"You're quiet," Bruce says. Jason's washing dishes while Bruce dries. Bruce keeps trying to remind Jason that they _have_ a dishwasher, but Jason makes the same face that Alfred does when Bruce tells him that.

"Sorry," Jason says. He hands a plate off to Bruce without looking at him, but Bruce stops him with his hand on his wrist, sets the plate down on the counter and turns Jason to face him.

"Jay," Bruce says. "Talk to me."

"I just," Jason says. He looks up at Bruce. "I think maybe I should go, you know?"

"Go where?" Bruce asks, and Jason smiles the smallest of smiles.

" _Home_ , Bruce. You know? Just… While you have another guest."

"Jason," Bruce says. He cups Jason's face in both hands. "You're not a guest. Come on. When was the last time you even slept at your apartment?" he asks, and Jason blushes.

"Yeah, but… It's different. I mean you guys… Anyway, it's not really my business," Jason says. He starts to pull away, but Bruce holds him there, tips his head down and kisses him, deep and long.

"I meant to do that earlier," Bruce tells him. He runs his fingers through Jason's hair, and Jason shivers for him. "I'll tell you anything you want to know, Jay. You don't have to go anywhere."

Jason nods, but he still hesitates. "You and Harvey… you used to… I mean, he's your ex?"

"More or less," Bruce says. "We went to school together. We were in a band. I was in love with him, and then he left the band. Things were different after that."

"Are you in love with him still?" Jason asks.

Bruce lets out a breath, then wraps Jason up in his arms. Jason holds onto him, his wet, soapy hands soaking Bruce's shirt. "I'm in love with _you_ in case you hadn't noticed," Bruce says, kissing the top of Jason's head.

"I know," Jason says. "But that doesn't mean - they're not mutually exclusive, Bruce." There's a shake to his voice when he says it that only makes Bruce wrap his arms tighter around him.

"It is this time, Jay," Bruce says. He kisses the top of Jason's head, breathes in the shampoo they both use. "You don't have anything to worry about. If you don't want to stay tonight, you don't have to, but… you should know that I always want you here."

"Okay," Jason says. "Okay."

He doesn't move away, and neither does Bruce. They stay like that for a while, just holding on as the water runs.

 

*

 

After they clean up, Damian convinces Jason to play one of his video games, and Bruce heads upstairs to look for Harvey. It doesn't take long to find him; he only gets halfway down the hall before he hears the guitar, and the same soft, murmuring way Harvey used to sing when he was working on a song.

He steps into the room and Harvey keeps going for a minute, and for that minute Bruce feels eighteen again, like when he'd lie on the floor next to Harvey's feet, stoned and happy and so stupid in love he felt like he might suffocate.

"New song?" Bruce asks when Harvey finishes, and Harvey shrugs.

"Just messing around, really." He looks back at Bruce's drumset. "The kid says you still play."

"Mm," Bruce says. He sits next to Harvey, leaning back against the wall. "Mostly when I'm feeling particularly middle aged."

Harvey laughs. "Shit, man, I always feel like a fuckin' joke. But then sometimes I wonder…"

"What is it, Harv?" Bruce asks.

Harvey ducks his head, and Bruce catches a glimpse of the boy he used to be. "Do you think," Harvey says. "Do you think if I hadn't… Would we still be together?"

Bruce's mouth goes dry. "The band, or the two of us?"

"Both," Harvey says. "Neither. I - Bruce -" Bruce sees it coming, but it doesn't stop him from letting Harvey lean in and kiss him. He smells like beer and cigarettes and some kind of aftershave that Bruce doesn't recognize, and his hands are soft on Bruce's face when he holds him still.

Bruce doesn't kiss him back. He doesn't -

"Harv," Bruce says when Harvey lets him go. "I should've told you about Jason."

Harvey laughs again, something cracked and awful that makes Bruce think of the times when they'd both get too fucked up after a bad gig, when they'd take it out on each other. Harvey would all but guzzle vodka sometimes, while Bruce half drowned himself in whiskey.

"Ain't your fault, buddy," Harvey says. "It's…" He pushes his hand through his hair, tugs at it. "You're happy, aren't you?"

"Yes," Bruce says.

"Right," Harvey says. "So that's all there is, right?"

Bruce doesn't say anything. They sit in silence for a while, and then Harvey says, "I'm not gonna stay. Not because… I'm just not gonna stay, all right?"

"All right," Bruce says. He wants to argue, but he knows it's for the best, and anyway, Harvey's a _lawyer_. He'd win every time.

"Maybe," Harvey says. "Maybe we can get lunch or something soon, though. You can tell me more about the wife and kid, I'll tell you about the crippling career."

"Sounds wonderful, Harvey," Bruce says. He pulls Harvey to his feet and they walk downstairs together. When they get outside, Jason is out on the patio smoking.

"You're leaving?" Jason asks.

"Yeah," Harvey says. "But thanks for dinner and all. You're a hell of a cook."

Jason looks down while he sucks on his cigarette, exhales. "Thanks."

"Sure," Harvey says. He looks at Bruce. "He cooks, he cleans, he takes care of the kid. You found yourself a hell of a wife, Bruce."

"Harvey," Bruce says, but Harvey just grins at him.

"Come on, big guy. Let's make it through this without anyone throwing punches." He holds his arms open and Bruce hugs him, holds on for maybe longer than he should still need to, want to, but. It's still Harvey.

"Call," Harvey murmurs in his ear. "Or I swear I'll show up unannounced again."

Bruce chuckles. "Yes, all right."

They break apart, and Bruce watches Harvey get in his car and tear out of the driveway. When he turns around, Jason's still sitting on the steps, staring at him and letting his cigarette burn down around his fingers.

"What is it?" Bruce asks. He sits next to Jason on the steps, and Jason flicks his cigarette out, leans his head on Bruce's shoulder. "Are you all right?" Bruce asks.

"Sure," Jason says. He takes a sharp, hitching breath that doesn't sound all right at all. "Sure, I'm good."

They stay out on the porch until well after dark, not saying much at all.


End file.
